Sword Art Online: Dream League
by Phantom Oracle
Summary: Trapped and alone within Sword Art Online, solo player Karis must unite a band of misfits and lost souls together to fight through the Floors and to beat the death game. But before she does that she needs to overcome the ghost of her past - the hope that was taken away from her. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1 - Infinity's Desire

**[A/N]**

Hiya, everyone! My name's Phantom Oracle and this is my very first FanFiction here, but don't get me wrong – I'm not too new to writing. I have another account here, and I've been writing for about 5 years now overall. Glad to meet you all, and just to let you know – I'm a very friendly person, always open to PM's and constructive criticism!

Before we start, I'd just like to take a moment and thank you for clicking on this story!

Anyways, this is just a fresh new start to a _hopefully_ successful FanFic, and I hope you all enjoy _Sword Art Online: Dream League_! See you all at the end!

* * *

 **Sword Art Online: Dream League**

 **Chapter 1 – Infinity's Desire**

 **[Prologue Arc: 1 of 3]**

* * *

Aincrad – a floating castle that had so much potential offered when it was first revealed. There, people imagined making new friendships and memories in its gigantic, yet detailed 100 Floors; all filled with buzzling life.

The concept of Sword Art Online was fresh and new, something never seen before. A VRMMO where players had to team up with each other to defeat bosses wasn't new to the scene, but the fact that the world was dynamic in such a way that each floor had to be cleared before moving on to the next was intriguing to most.

1,000 Beta Testers played the game, and instantly fell in love with it. Although they only made it to 10th Floor before the Beta Test was over, the game quickly gained success with positive feedback and a cult following.

10,000 copies of the game were quickly sold out in stores all over the nation of Japan, the popularity of the game gaining jealous attention from players around the world who wanted to play the game themselves.

Count them lucky, for they didn't know what was going to happen – nobody knew.

Sword Art Online was a promising game that everyone thought would be a revolutionary step in the future for VRMMO's all over the world. But all of that changed upon the day of release, something nobody would ever thought of happened – the day all of our lives changed.

We were trapped in the game, and we had to survive.

 **Starting City, 1** **st** **Floor.**

 **November 6** **th** **, 2022.**

« **Iron Sword** **»** acquired. 930 Cor remaining.

"Is…is this what I'm supposed to buy?" I asked with curiosity as I eyed the open shop box hovering before me.

I let out a small gasp as somebody patted my back. Turning to face the culprit, I found my friend, Victoria, standing by my side – a wide grin on her face.

"Cheap and it gets the job done, Saori," she chuckled. "Oh, I mean… _Karis_ …"

I shook my head and smiled, pressing the _X_ on the top right of the shop's box to close it. I looked up to the cloudless, blue sky and let out a sigh.

"It's still hard to believe this is all a game…" I said. "It feels so real…"

"Well, believe it!" Victoria exclaimed. "We were one of the lucky 10,000 to actually get a copy of this game, Karis! Thanks again for waiting with me in line. Just look at all the people around!"

Dozens of voices and conversations all around me littered the market area of the Starting City. Here on the 1st Floor of Aincrad, this is where all of the 10,000 players gathered to begin their new adventures in the world of Sword Art Online. Just like everyone else, I planned on making my own story in this game.

My name is Saori Matsushita, but my in-game name is Karis. The girl standing before me is Yōko Kagome, also known as Victoria. She's been my best friend ever since we were little, and her excitement over this game was what motivated me to stand in line with her for over 12 hours to get our hands on Sword Art Online.

Living in Tokyo's metropolitan area wasn't as bad as it seemed, and although the streets were hectic and busy, it was still filled with life. We attended Sōryū High School, where we were first-years. In our social life, it was just the two of us against the school – we were alone. Being regarded as nerds wasn't too bad, but there were some days where it was just too much.

The 'soft-spoken, shy' Saori Matsushita mixed in together with the 'loud, rambunctious' Yōko Kagome, could prove to be a deadly combination. We were ready to take on the entire school if we needed to, although these days the harsh words and disastrous remarks were something more…easy…to avoid.

VRMMO's were the place we could escape to. If reality doesn't work out for you, why not try out virtual reality? It's as if it's a second chance to live again and correct your wrongdoings.

And here we were – starting our new adventure in the world of swords.

"Now that we have our weapons bought, let's get started!" Victoria said. "Where should we head first? What should we do?"

"If there was only a training area where we could go to…just some place to practice. We're both new to this game after all, and I don't think jumping ahead without learning the basics would be a wise idea…" I said.

"Training area, you ask?" the NPC merchant who sold me the « **Iron Sword** **»** spoke up to say. I turned to face him and the old man smiled. "For an extra 500 Cor, I'll sell you a teleportation crystal that will immediately teleport you to the Training Fields, young lady…"

"500 Cor!? You're kidding!" Victoria screamed at the top of her lungs. "That's robbery right there!"

"No-now, Vic-Victoria…"

The merchant laughed heartedly.

"No robbery here, young lady! This is a limited time offer…" he said with an innocent smile. "And if you don't want to buy it, I'm sure somebody else would like to–"

"I'll buy it!" I said, cutting him off mid-sentence.

« **Teleportation Crystal: Training Fields** **»** acquired. 430 Cor remaining.

"Thank you for your purchase once more, young lady," he smiled. "And…welcome to Aincrad! May your adventure be filled with fortune and positivity – enjoy it."

"No, no, thank you!" I smiled back, bowing before him.

I took a step back and swiped downward with my middle and index finger, opening up my inventory. I equipped the crystal and held it in one of my hands, taking a glance over to Victoria, who nodded to me.

"Let's go, Karis!" Victoria said with a grin.

I nodded and clutched the crystal together with both of my hands, bringing it closer to my armored chest. I closed my eyes and felt like I was flying through the air.

In a split moment, we found ourselves standing in an open grassy field, with rocks all around. I took a glance and saw **«** **Frenzy Boars»** all over the area.

"Whoa…the Training Fields…" Victoria said with astonishment. "Think anybody else knows about this place?"

I looked around and found the entire area to be void of anything but grass, trees, and more roaming **«** **Frenzy Boars»**. Expanding my search, I found what seemed to be dozens of more floating landscapes and scenery.

"From the looks of it, it seems nobody else is here…that merchant was right."

"AGH! DAMN IT!" I heard a voice shout from the distance.

Victoria turned to face me and grinned.

"You were saying, Karis?" she laughed.

"Ne-never mind…"

"Come on, let's go check it out!" Victoria said as she began running towards the voice.

I nodded and followed after her, running past rocks and « **Frenzy Boars** **»** as we made our way to the voice. Soon after, we came to a stop and Victoria ducked behind a large rock, and I followed her actions.

"Wh-why are we hiding…?" I asked out of curiosity, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Shush," Victoria said as she held up a finger. "I'm trying to listen to them."

She peeked her head over and I did the same.

We found two men standing in the middle of the field, one of them with long red hair and a bandana, and the other with short black hair. The one with red hair was sitting on the grassy ground, rubbing his head and an exhausted look on his face.

"Man! Who knew they'd be that tough!" he chuckled.

"You won't be able to hit it like that…" the black-haired man sighed and shook his head. "Use your sword skill and position it properly, then when in range, just let it go. Try again."

"Watch, watch," Victoria nudged me. "Just watching these guys should give us some good pointers, and then we can go try it out for ourselves."

"O-okay…"

A new **«Frenzy Boar** **»** spawned near the two men and the red-haired man got back onto his feet.

"You know what to do!" the black-haired man called to him.

"Right!" the red-haired man shouted back.

He positioned himself with his right foot back and his left foot forward, holding his sword with his right hand and keeping the blade aimed at the « **Frenzy Boar** **»**. The monster squealed before running towards the red-haired man. As it approached him with immense speed, his sword lit up with a red light and as the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** reached him, he attacked with his sword.

He cut through the monster as if it was nothing, and in a split second, the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** squealed and exploded into millions of crystal fragments that evaporated in the air.

His face lit up with glee and he jumped in excitement.

"I did it!" he exclaimed.

"Amazing…" Victoria whispered.

"Ye-yeah…" I whispered back.

The sound of snorts behind us took our attention away from the two of them. Simultaneously, the two of us turned around and found an angered « **Frenzy Boar** **»** standing behind us – its red eyes growing with hate.

"He-hey, Karis…" Victoria's voice broke.

"Ye-yeah?" I gulped.

"Do you…do you think after seeing what those guys just did, you can kill it?"

"N-no…d-do you?"

Victoria sighed. "If only I paid attention to what they were doing…"

The red eyes of the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** glowed brighter as it huffed, stomping its back left foot among the grass. It huffed once more before it began charging towards us, its tusks shining under the sunlight.

I closed my eyes and held my hands up, preparing for the attack.

"This is it!" Victoria screamed.

A flash of light brought me to open my eyes. I found the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** shattering into a million crystal fragments, and the black-haired man from earlier standing before us, the blade of his **«Small Sword** **»** glowing.

"Are you two alright?" he asked.

"Ye-yeah…" I nodded my head. "Th-thank you…"

"Yo, Kirito!" the red-haired man ran up to us, placing his hands on his knees and heaving heavy sighs. "What was that? Where'd you…where'd you go?"

"There was a **«Frenzy Boar** **»** about to attack these two," the black-haired man known as Kirito gestured to us. "I got here just in time before it could get a hit in."

"Ouch," the red-haired man grimaced. "You two are lucky, those little bastards pack a mean punch…"

"You would know…" Victoria grinned. "We saw you getting your ass knocked back and forth by them!"

"Funny…" the red-haired man scowled, glaring at Victoria. "Stalking us, eh? Just who are you two?"

"Stalking? You wish, buddy! I'm Victoria!" my friend said as she smiled, placing her hands on her hips. "And this here's Karis! Glad to meet the two of you!"

"Oh, the name's Klein!" the red-haired man grinned as he pointed to himself. "Nice to meet you two!" he then turned towards the black-haired man standing next to him and moved his finger on to him. "And this here's Kirito! Believe it or not, he was one of the 1,000 Beta Testers!"

"N-no way!" Victoria's eyes lit up as she balled her hands into fists and stared at Kirito. "I'm jealous! You're lucky, you know that?"

"Come on, now…" Kirito scratched the back of his head and looked away. "It's not something I'd like to brag about…anyways, it's a pleasure to meet the two of you."

"You as well," I nodded.

"You guys bought a teleportation crystal here too?" Kirito asked with a small smile. "Klein here bought one too – for around 700 Cor. He's completely broke right now!"

"It's true…I am…" Klein sighed.

"Wait…was it from that old guy with the creepy smile?" Victoria asked.

"Yep! Why?" Klein's eyes widened with curiosity.

"I bought mine for 500 Cor…" I said with a half-smile.

"N-no way!" Klein shook his head and narrowed his eyebrows. "That's robbery!"

"I know, right!" Victoria added and nodded her head. "It's definitely robbery!"

"These Training Fields aren't a secret, everyone knows about them. It's actually just a small walk from Starting City…" Kirito half-heartedly grinned. "You didn't really have to buy that crystal in the first place…"

"You're kidding…" Klein grimaced.

"Hah! Good thing I didn't buy it!" Victoria huffed.

"Ah, well…we can always earn that Cor back…" I humbly said with a small smile.

"And you can do that by killing monsters, just like one of these **«Frenzy Boars** **»** here. Do either of you want to give it a try?" Kirito asked.

"I will1 Let's do this!" Victoria exclaimed.

"Right," Kirito nodded his head, and a look filled with determination took over. "Equip your weapon, and use your sword skill. It takes a few to activate, and once your skill activates – just let it go and you'll easily defeat it."

A **«Frenzy Boar** **»** stood across the field, facing Victoria. It puffed and narrowed its eyes at my friend.

Victoria equipped her weapon, a **«One-Handed Mace** **»** , one of the basic weapons she bought from the same merchant who sold me the **«Iron Sword** **»** earlier on. She readied herself in a battle position, aiming her mace at the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** , and after a few seconds of waiting – her weapon lit up with a yellow light.

"Your skill is ready!" Kirito shouted. "Go for it!"

"Take this!" Victoria shouted at the top of her lungs before running towards the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** , with the enemy before her letting out a squeal as it charged Victoria with its sharp tusks.

Victoria hit the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** with her weapon, knocking the monster away – before it exploded into millions of crystal fragments. A screen popped up in front of Victoria and she turned around, a wide smile on her face.

"That was amazing!" she exclaimed. "What a thrill!"

"Just what was that?" I asked. "What exactly is a sword skill?"

"Sword Art Online is known for its advanced and diverse skill tree system," Kirito began. "You can do whatever you want in this game basically, except there's no such thing as magic. You have your skills based on what weapon you prefer – whether it be sword, spear, or mace."

"I read in an MMO Today magazine that SAO's skill tree is also linked with how you want to fight during battle," Klein spoke up. "Like your Agility and Defense skills."

"That's right," Kirito nodded. "You can upgrade your skills to be a fast, quick-hitter; or you can be a slow, but heavy-hitting player. It's really up to you on how you want to play. There's also non-combative skills you can use your points on as well."

"Do you want to try, Karis-chan?" Klein said to me.

"Su-sure…" I shrugged.

Swiping down and accessing the menu, I went into my inventory, found my weapon slot and seeing only two weapons there – the starting **«Small Sword** **»** and the **«Iron Sword** **»** I bought from the infamous merchant.

I equipped the **«Iron Sword** **»** I bought and held it in my hands, staring down the **«Frenzy Boar** **»** before me. Looking down at my weapon, I closed my eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. When I opened my eyes, I found the blade of the **«Iron Sword** **»** glowing blue.

"Remember, same thing with Victoria," Kirito's voice said. "Activate your sword skill, and just let it go. You should be able to defeat it just as easily as she did."

"Got it," I nodded.

"You can do this, Karis!" Klein's voice shouted.

"I believe in you!" Victoria exclaimed.

I charged at the **«Frenzy Bear** **»** , lunging at it with my **«Iron Sword** **»**. I felt myself cut through its skin, and as I turned back to find it – the monster burst into millions of fragments, vanishing before me.

A menu appeared in my field of vision.

 **Enemy Defeated. 24 EXP and 30 Cor acquired.**

My eyes widened at the sight and I smiled.

"I-I did it!" I gasped, turning back to face the three standing before me. "I did it!"

"Well, then!" Victoria exclaimed as I felt her wrap her arms around me. "Let's go out and kill some of these bastards! I'm all for it!"

After spending hours farming in the Training Fields that surrounded Starting City, we found ourselves wore out from the day – and that the day itself was tired in the sense that the sun began to set.

"Wh-what a long day…" Klein panted as we stood in the fields. I turned to face the red-haired man and found him with his hands on his knees, letting out a sigh of relief. "Say, with all that farming, what level are you guys now?"

"Hmm…" Victoria hummed before groaning. "Level 2…"

"You're kidding! Same here…" Klein said.

Looking up at the top left corner of my HUD, I saw a blue progression bar that was almost half-way filled. Next to it was a hexagon with the number 2 in it.

"I'm Level 2 as well," I spoke up.

"Although we farm as much as we can, these monsters won't be able to level us up as efficiently as monsters on the higher floors," Kirito's voice said. We turned towards him and he nodded. "Once we get there, we'll be able to level up better."

"We should farm together more often then," Klein said with a smile. "How's that sound?"

And with that, a notification popped up in my field of vision, with words in the middle. Under the sentence was a green checkmark and a red X.

 **Friend Request from user: Klein. Accept or Decline?**

I tapped on the green checkmark, and a new window opened above the friend request.

 **You are now friends with user: Klein!**

The two windows closed and I smiled towards my three companions.

"I like the idea!" Victoria exclaimed. "Friend request accepted!"

"And you, Kirito?" Klein asked.

"Fine, fine…" Kirito sighed.

"Hey, I was going to introduce you all to friends from the real world that I bought this game with. I don't know what you're all up to after this, but I'm going to grab a quick bite of my pizza…once it gets here…" Klein grinned. "I'm going to log out to check."

"I think we'll be on, right, Victoria?" I smiled.

"Yep!" she gave a thumbs up and grinned. "And if we try hard enough, we'll get to Level 3 by tonight!"

"There's no log-out button," Klein said out of nowhere.

"There should be one…" Kirito sighed. "Is it not there? It should be there."

"It's not there," Klein replied.

"You sure?" Kirito asked, before opening his main menu. Moments passed and he raised a brow. "It's not there."

"I told you," Klein shrugged.

"Your pizza's probably cold by now," Victoria grinned.

"The developers should know something's wrong…they should be logging us out themselves so they can fix the situation…" Kirito rubbed his chin.

And with that, we were all enveloped in a blue light. My eyes widened and I felt frozen in time.

"Wh-what…"

Instantly I found myself in the Plaza of Starting City, with Victoria, Kirito, and Klein by my side. More players teleported in from wherever they were, and the Plaza quickly crowded with what seemed to be the entire server.

"We're in Starting City…" Victoria spoke out.

"Someone forced a teleport," Kirito said.

Voices scattered about the plaza, and I found myself lost in a sea of cries and fear.

"Scared?" a boy's voice behind me said. I turned around and found him comforting a girl, holding her tightly to his chest. She nodded her head and he grinned, caressing her hair with his hand. "Hey, don't be. We're going to be okay."

"Wh-what about my sister? How are we going to find Jody?" the girl sobbed. "She could be anywhere! Just look at all the people!"

"Now what?" Kirito sighed.

Red hexagons built up the sky, enveloping all of us in the dome of the Plaza. Within an instant, a large hooded figure hovered over us, cloaked in red garments with a shadowy face.

"What the hell is that thing?" Victoria raised a brow.

I turned back towards the hooded figure and he raised his arms high in the air.

"Attention players…I welcome you to my world," his deep voice began. "My name is Kayaba Akihiko, and as of this moment…I control this world…"

"No way…it's _him_ …" Victoria whispered.

"I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from your main menus – the log out button…let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game," he continued. "I repeat, this is not a defect. Believe it or not, this is how Sword Art Online was designed to be!"

"Yeah, right!" a player shouted behind me. "Don't try to scare us like that!"

"He's kidding, right?" Klein frowned.

"Sounds a bit whack to me…" Victoria shook her head.

"You can't log yourself out of Sword Art Online," Kayaba continued. "And nobody in the real world is able to shut down or remove the NerveGear on your head. Doing so will result in a microwave signal inside the NerveGear to be sent to your skull…and thus, sadly, ending your life…"

The murmurs arose and a chorus of voices covered the Plaza.

"What's he talking about?"

"Oh, seriously? This game sucks! That's a lie!"

"We should get out of here."

"They won't be able to leave…we're locked in…" I said, looking back up at the sky littered with red hexagons.

"This guy's nuts, nobody's going to believe him!" Klein shouted. "Right, Kirito?"

"He's not…" Kirito shook his head. "The transmitter's signal in the NerveGear works exactly like a microwave. Once the safety _is_ disabled…it can fry your brain."

"Can't somebody on the outside cut the power?" I asked with a small frown.

"It wouldn't work," Kirito sighed. "The NerveGear's got an internal battery."

"This is crazy! Totally crazy!" Klein's voice screamed.

"This isn't real!" Victoria shouted.

"Although I gave a warning out, the families and friends of some players have attempted removing the NerveGear while they were logged in still…an unfortunate decision..." he cleared his throat. "And as a result of their poor actions, there are now 213 less players – they have been deleted from both Aincrad and the real world."

"No way, I don't believe it!" Klein said.

"213?" Kirito asked.

"Th-this is madness…" I whispered.

"International media is covering everything round-the-clock, including the deaths. It's safe to assume the likelihood of a NerveGear being removed is minimal – I really do hope this bring some comfort as you all try to clear this game," Kayaba said, silencing all the voices in the crowd. "It's crucial to remember – there is no longer a way of reviving someone within the game. If your HP drops to zero, then your avatar will be deleted from the system…forever. And the NerveGear will fry your brain simultaneously…there is only _one_ way for you all to escape – and that's to clear the game."

He took a brief pause before continuing.

"As of right now, you're all gathered on the 1st Floor, the lowest Floor of Aincrad. If you can get through this Floor's dungeon and defeat the boss, you'll be able to advance to the next Floor. Defeat the boss on the 100th Floor, and you'll clear the game – and be free to leave."

The wave of voices arose once more, this time more confused rather than terrified.

"Clearing? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why should we believe him?"

"Anybody have any idea what he's talking about?"

"Did he just say there are 100 Floors?"

"No way we can clear all 100 Floors! It's impossible!" Klein shouted. "Not even the Beta Tester's made it that high!"

"Ha-have some faith…" Victoria gulped.

"N-no…" I felt tears grow in my eyes. "This…this can't be happening…"

"Last but not least everyone, I've placed a little present in your inventory. Please, take a look!" Kayaba said once more.

I swiped down and opened my inventory, finding a mysterious item in the miscellaneous section – titled **«** **Hand Mirror»**. My eyes widened with curiosity, and I exchanged confused glances with Victoria.

"What's this? A mirror?" I asked myself.

"Go on ahead! Equip it!" Kayaba's voice ordered.

I let out a squeal as I was enveloped in a bright blue light, hearing everyone's reactions as they were also burning from the illumination.

"Yōko!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Saori! Hold on!" Victoria's voice yelled.

The light seemingly disappeared, and I looked down at my gloved hands – nothing had changed. I glanced around and found the people around me weren't hurt at all…but _something_ felt different about what just happened.

"Sa-Saori?"

I turned towards the voice and found Victoria – no, not Victoria, but Yōko Kagome. Instead of her character with long-flowing red hair and crimson-red eyes, Victoria's appearance was now that of her real-life counterpart, Yōko Kagome – with short auburn hair and light-brown eyes.

"N-no way…" I shook my head. "You look exactly just like…"

"Yo-you too…" Victoria raised her finger.

My eyes widened and I looked back at the **«** **Hand Mirror»**. When I first started the game, I created my character to have dark-blue hair and dark-blue eyes – but I found my appearance in real life staring back at me. Jet-black hair and dark-brown eyes.

"Is everyone okay?" Klein's voice said.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Kirito's voice said.

"So am I," Victoria added.

"Same here," I nodded.

Victoria and I turned towards Klein and Kirito's voices, finding an older man with spiky red hair and the same bandana Klein wore in his spot, and a boy with black hair and gray eyes of our age in Kirito's.

"Wait, who are you two?" Victoria asked, batting her eyes.

"I'm me," the red-haired man nodded. "Who are you guys?"

"Wait a second…" the black-haired boy grimaced. "Is that you, Klein?"

"You're kidding…" Victoria muttered to me. "Look how old he is…he's old…"

"Is that you, Kirito?" Klein pointed his finger at the black-haired boy, who nodded. Klein turned towards Victoria and I. "And you two are Victoria and Karis?"

"Ye-yeah…" I nodded.

"I didn't know you were this old, Klein," Victoria replied.

"Ho-how…how…?" I gulped. "How can this be?"

"The scan," Kirito simply said. "The high-density signal device inside the NerveGear. It can see what my face looks like, but I have no idea how it knows my height and body type…"

"Remember when you had to pat yourself all over to calibrate the NerveGear?" Klein spoke up. "It asked you to touch your body all over. Maybe that's how."

"No way…" I shook my head. "But what's the point!? Why would anyone do this to us!?"

"Don't cry, Karis," Victoria said as she put her arm on my shoulder. "We've got to stay strong."

Kirito raised his arm and pointed up towards Kayaba. "I think he's about to tell us."

"Right now you're all probably wondering why," Kayaba said once more. "Why would Kayaba Akihiko, developer of Sword Art Online and the NerveGear, do this? Ultimately, my goal was a simple one – the reason I created Sword Art Online was to control the fate of a world of my own design. And as you can all see…I have achieved that goal."

"What a nutjob…" Victoria's voice whispered.

"You're crazy!" Klein shouted.

"It's not a game anymore…" I said under my breath. "This is real…if we die here…w-we die in real life…"

"Players, don't let my words discourage you – just because you're trapped in this game doesn't mean you can't enjoy it!" he exclaimed. "And with that, I bid you all farewell. This marks the end of the tutorial and the launch of Sword Art Online. I wish you all good luck."

And with that, the red hexagons began to dissolve and Kayaba vanished from where he once hovered. I heard cries all around me and I shook my head, balling my hands into fists.

"Let me out of here!"

"What do we do now!?"

"My God…no! Please let us out!"

"You can't just leave us here! Let us out!"

"We've got to go," Kirito said. He ran between two of the giant pillars and into the jungle of buildings that lay ahead of it. Klein followed him and after exchanging looks with Victoria, we made our way towards them.

We stopped at the edge between two buildings, with a dark alleyway running down the middle. Kirito turned towards the three of us and he sighed.

"Alright, listen up everyone," he began. "I'm heading out right now for the next village, and I want all of you to come with me."

"Eh?" Klein raised a brow.

"Huh?" Victoria and I said in unison.

"If everything he's saying is the truth, then the only way to survive here is to make ourselves as strong as possible. There's only so much Cor and EXP this Floor has to offer…and the hunting grounds around Starting City will be dry soon," Kirito shook his head. "If we get a head start, we'll have such an easier time collecting the loot. Trust me, I know all the safe pathways, and even though we're just Level 2, I can get us there safely."

We all let out gasps of awe. I slowly nodded my head before I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face Victoria and she shook her head.

"Thanks for the offer and all…" Klein's voice spoke up. We turned to face him and his saddened facial expression. "I can't leave my friends behind…especially after we stayed up all night just to get this game…"

"Kl-Klein-san…" my voice whispered.

Kirito was undoubtedly distraught, as he looked down at the ground and froze.

"Hey!" Victoria's voice shouted. "You've really helped us out a lot already. Don't take any offense to when I say this to you, but we don't need you to hold our hands for us, Kirito-kun. You've done enough already, and we can't thank you enough for that. Right, Karis?"

She nudged my elbow and I nodded.

"Kirito-kun, it seems that we're all supposed to go our separate ways. But trust me as well, we'll find our own way to be just as successful as you are."

"Sorry, but I can't really ask a guy to risk his life for a bunch of strangers now, can I?" Klein's voice shot up once more. "Don't worry about us, and get on over to that next village! In the last MMO I played, I ran a guild of my own, y'know? And like these two said, with the stuff you taught us, we're all sure to get by!"

Kirito looked up at us, his lips curving into a small, soft smile.

"If that's what you all say, then I should get going! I'll be seeing you all. Take care," Kirito said before beginning to run down the alleyway.

"Kirito, I've got to say!" Klein called out, causing Kirito to stop and look back. "You look way better than your avatar like this! Way cooler."

"Yeah, and I think that scruffy face fits you ten times better," Kirito grinned.

And with that, he took off running again, leaving us to watch him. Somebody cleared their throat and I turned to face the source, only to find Klein as the culprit.

"Well, I should be heading out too – can't keep the guys waiting. If you two need anything, contact me okay?" Klein said. We nodded and he smiled. "Take care! Try not to get into too much trouble now, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah…we should be saying that to you!" Victoria chuckled. "Stay safe out there."

"Take care of yourself, Klein-san," I bowed to him. He smiled and nodded in response.

He walked away, waving to us one last time. Klein's footsteps echoed through my mind and before I knew it, they were gone.

It was just the two of us now – confused and lost, but together. It was a luxury that seemed to slip the grip of a lot of players here now, being together.

We watched as Kirito ran down the alleyway, only stopping to take one last brief glance back at us. We waved to him and he smiled to acknowledge us, before continuing on.

"Th-that was a lie, Victoria…" my voice softly spoke. "We probably won't have any clue on what to do…"

"You saw him, right, Karis?" Victoria sighed. I looked at her and found her smiling. "That guy right there – his eyes were filled with determination. You ought to think that he'd do way better on his own than having to carry the two of us, right? He's a Beta Tester after all…"

"Ri-right…" I nodded my head.

I turned back towards the alleyway and saw that Kirito was gone, as if he disappeared into the darkness of the night.

"And besides," Victoria said with a giggle. "I think we'll meet him again someday."

I nodded my head once more and felt my lips curve into a smile.

"We just have to survive until then."

"You know," Victoria spoke up moments later. "I don't think Kirito ever sent us a friend request."

* * *

 **Sword Art Online: Dream League**

* * *

 **[A/N]**

I find it really annoying how we can't use less-than/greater-than signs. They would've fit much more appropriately in this story rather than using brackets. Oh well, I made it work!

That's all for Chapter 1! What do you think so far? Constructive criticism is welcome, it's just a chance to make this story better for everyone! Once again, thanks for reading and I'll see you all in the next chapter. [:

 **UPDATE: Updated with Guillemet's - thank you to Agent 94!**

 _Catch any errors? Be sure to leave a review letting me know! PM's work as well. Thank you!_


	2. Chapter 2 - Amethyst's Mark

**[A/N]**

Long time no see! Sorry about the long wait, but work and life has been killing me lately. Welcome back to Chapter 2 of _Sword Art Online: Dream League_! Thank you all for your feedback and hopefully this chapter will keep you just as entertained as the last one! I'll let you all start reading, and as always – I hope you enjoy! See ya at the end.

* * *

 **Sword Art Online: Dream League**

 **Chapter 2 -** **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»**

 **[Prologue Arc: 2 of 3]**

* * *

"You've made it to the 12th Floor, huh…" a man in white lab coat said as he watched over the floating castle of Aincrad, pulling out a yellow crystal from one of the pockets of his lab coat. "And it's been nearly three months…significant progress, players."

"While some of you have already fallen, those still left continue to fight…" he whispered to himself. "If your freedom is what you desire, players, then you're well on track to achieving it. Although…"

He turned around and grinned as he walked away.

"You've all still got a long way to go...and it's just going to get harder and harder with each Floor you pass…I still wish you all good luck. Cardinal System, relay message to all players at 5:30 PM. ID: 'Heathcliff'."

He gripped onto the glowing yellow crystal in his hands as he walked.

"These new crystallites should turn the tide of the game."

* * *

It's been nearly two and a half months. Two and a half months since we were trapped in this death game – Sword Art Online. We were supposed to start a new adventure in a world of swords…but instead we were fighting for our lives every single day, questioning if it was the day we would finally die and be free from this nightmare.

2,400 players have died so far – 2,400 lives lost. With that staggering number of deaths, we've only reached the 12th Floor of the 100 in the game. Players known as Clearers are the ones who fight on the frontlines, defeating the bosses on each floor. They're the heroes of this game, and not one floor goes by where we don't lose somebody.

That's what we aim for.

Barely reaching Level 23, and with Victoria being Level 24 – we plan on joining the raid party of Clearers today, and to take on the 12th Floor's boss, known as **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**.

I found a rare, event quest titled **«** **Building the Darkstar** **»** , in the hidden town of Mira on the 7th Floor. The contents of the quest weren't difficult enough for me to complete, with Victoria's help of course. After killing 20 **«** **Slime Warriors** **»** and collecting one **«** **Crystal Cluster** **»** from a **«** **Slime Warlord** **»** , I was rewarded with a one-handed sword known as the **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»**.

In return for helping me with my quest, I assisted Victoria in defeating the side-boss **«** **Harold the Hellmaker** **»** on the 4th Floor, which rewarded her with a drop that contained a one-handed **«** **Silver-Branded Mace** **»** and 5000 Cor – in addition to the experience she received that boosted her to Level 24.

The city of Gradula on the 10th Floor provided new armor and items for the two of us, and was just as beautiful as Starting City – Gradula's lights lit up the coast of the 10th Floor's beach. Trading in my old **«** **Starter's Chestplate** **»** for a **«** **Warrior's Chestplate** **»** and my **«** **Adventurer's Boots** **»** for **«** **Iron Greaves** **»**. These upgrades ensured we would have a well enough defense for the upcoming battle.

Using the skill points that we earned through leveling up, I was able to focus most of them on my Sprint and Parry abilities, effectively ensuring that I'd be able to get into the fight faster and defend myself better. Victoria, on the other hand, raised her Heavy Metal Equipment and Picking abilities, which helped her use her **«** **Silver-Branded Mace** **»** more efficiently and to better pick locks of treasure chests.

 **Teravista, 12** **th** **Floor.**

 **January 3** **rd** **, 2023.**

"This is it, Karis!" Victoria exclaimed as we walked out of the portal. "We're finally going to contribute something to beating this game!" she yawned and stretched her arms out widespread. "Although, I still wouldn't mind just sitting back in Starting City…relaxing on the sidelines…"

"We've done that…" I cringed.

For the first two weeks of being trapped in Sword Art Online, Victoria and I stayed at an inn in Starting City – an overpopulated inn to be more exact. We weren't the only ones with the idea of waiting the rest of the game out while other players risked their lives.

We farmed as much as we can, reaching only Level 10 before the monsters on the 1st Floor were completely drained out and spawn areas were camped out daily.

After the defeat of the 1st Floor Boss, we made our way up to the 2nd Floor with other players, realizing that there _is_ a chance to beat this death game – all of us just had to work together to succeed.

And here we were – after all this time, we were finally ready to become Clearers.

While Teravista wasn't as grand and spectacular as Starting City and Gradula were – it still showed the beauty of Sword Art Online. A large medieval town that seemed to be ripped right out from the fairytales – buzzing with life filled with NPC villagers, and the strong sense of NPC guards who resembled the Knights of the Round Table. Glued together with the wooden homes, Teravista's friendly community made it just as great as other cities and towns.

"Where are we supposed to be headed?" I asked Victoria.

"Hmm…" she said as she looked around, lightly tapping her chin with her index finger. "Well, the details said to meet in the center of the town…so I guess we should head there."

"It feels really good being out here…" I spoke up as we walked through the town, finding NPC villagers all around. "Definitely a change…"

"At this rate, we should be able to beat this game soon," Victoria said as she cracked her knuckles. "I'll be sure we get out together."

"Hopefully…" I said as I looked down at my feet.

"Hey," her voice called me to look up. "I promise you we'll be leaving this game together. You know what? I even came up with a plan already. Would you like to hear it?"

"Sure," I faintly smiled.

"A guild."

"Huh?"

"You heard me, Karis – a guild," she widely grinned. "You know, an organized group of players that are close with each other. I want to start one of those. Hey, y'know, maybe after we kick this boss's ass, we'll be able to find potential recruits for our guild."

" _Our_ guild?"

"Yep! _Our_ guild! We're going to be co-leaders!" Victoria exclaimed. "It's going to be great, Karis, just you count on it. And hey, stop being such a negative nancy as well. We're going to be just fine, alright? I'll make sure of it."

"Ar-are you sure?"

"I promise."

I felt my lips curve into a large smile after hearing those words. Maybe, just maybe, we had our own chance to beat this game and hopefully go back to the way things were back in the real world. Victoria really did know how to give me hope.

"Then we should hurry on up to the meeting," I giggled. "The early bird gets the warm, or so I've heard."

Victoria looked at me and opened her mouth to speak.

"Speaking of that meeting…don't you think that we're–"

"GONNA BE LATE!" a voice behind us yelled.

The two of us turned around and we found a girl with a blonde ponytail running by, donning an orange and silver armor set with a large, two-handed silver lance strapped to her back. She zoomed by, turning the corner of the street ahead, and disappeared.

"And…she finished the sentence for me," Victoria frowned.

We exchanged looks and our eyes widened. We began running in the same direction of the girl, the sound of our metal boots crunching against the rocky road with every step we took.

As soon as we turned the corner, we found dozens of players gathered around a wooden stage. We panted as we pushed our way through the crowed, finding ourselves in the middle – waiting.

"You know we ran for no reason, right?" Victoria exhaled. "Phew, that wore me out!"

"Should've leveled up your Sprint," I giggled.

"When's this meeting going to start?" one player asked.

"No clue…but it better start soon – otherwise I'm going back to the 6th Floor for a drink."

"Oh good…" I sighed with relief. "We're not late…"

"Do you think we'll actually get to fight the Boss today?" Victoria asked me. "I can't wait to kick this dudes butt!"

"I doubt it," I shrugged. "From what I've heard, organizing a Raiding Party takes a day at the most, especially with the size of this one. Just look how many players are around…"

The entire area was filled with nothing but the voices of players who were impatiently waiting for the start of the meeting.

Three men donning silver armor and army-green capes marched onto the stage, their menacing appearance made me shake in my own boots, gulping nervously. I watched as they fanned out into a triangle formation, staring out into the crowds before them.

"Wh-whoa…who are those guys?" Victoria pointed them out.

"They look so organized…" I muttered under my breath.

"Hello, everyone!" the man in front greeted all of us with a smile. "My name's Crove, Lieutenant Colonel of the **«** **Aincrad Liberation Squad** **»**. You might be wondering who we are, as this is the first time we've made our first appearance. So far, the parties that faced the past 10 bosses were just a bunch of solo players banded together."

"And here I thought he was going to be some jerk," Victoria chuckled.

"They're a guild…" a man behind me whispered. "Who ever thought we'd actually see an organized guild for once."

"Guilds are usually found on the lower floors," another man said to him. "Mainly just a bunch of friends all trying to survive with each other…if only they'd actually contribute to the fight…"

"But now!" Crove continued. "Our efforts to clearing this game will become organized, and we'll have a better fighting chance! With the leadership of the **«** **Aincrad Liberation Squad** **»** , we're going to win!"

"Who does this guy think he is?" Victoria scoffed. "Just 'cause they're a guild doesn't mean they're the boss of us."

"Vic-Victoria…"

"I definitely agree with you, kid," a voice said to us.

We turned towards the source of the voice and found a tall, muscular dark-skinned man with a bald head and black facial hair. He wore a tan sleeveless shirt and brown pants with white trimmings, a two-handed battle axe strapped to his back.

"You do?" I asked him out of curiosity.

"Of course I do," he responded as he gave us a thumbs up. "The name's Agil. I've been fighting on the frontlines since the 1st Floor, and we never needed to leadership of a guild to lead us – we just needed the communication and the effort of the players."

"Seriously? Since the 1st Floor?" Victoria asked, her light-brown eyes lit up with stars. "That's amazing!"

"You bet it is," Agil heartedly chuckled.

"Ah, oh! I'm Victoria, by the way," Victoria smiled, pointing to herself before wrapping her arm around me. "And this is Karis, my silent friend!"

"Victoria…"

Agil let out a chuckle. "Nice to meet you two!"

"Now," the voice of Crove took us away from our introduction to the Clearer as he began once more. "To achieve victory, we must have an organized offense on this raid and upcoming ones! Let us be your guide, and we will show you how to properly and utterly destroy these monsters!"

"It's as if he's assuming control over us…" a player muttered. "But in a very, very…friendly way."

"I majored in Business Management, and to be quite frank with you – this is a perfect marketing scheme! He must've majored in Business as well," one player mused.

"I can't believe this is our meeting…" another let out a sigh.

"I'm going to say something," Victoria whispered to me. "No need to waste our time with this whole little 'recruitment' advertising here."

"Wh-what?" I widened my eyes.

"Like hell we'll listen to you!" Victoria jeered. "We don't need your leadership!"

"Vic-Victoria…" I felt a bead of sweat roll down my face. "You're going to cause a scene…"

"What did you say?" one of the three men growled. He pulled off his helmet, revealing spiky orange hair and an orange beard to accompany it. "Speak louder!"

"Ki-Kibaou…" Crove held a hand up to ease his friend. "Now's not the time to get angry…right?"

"You're damn _not_ right!" the man known as Kibaou shouted.

"Kibaou, huh?" Agil rubbed his chin.

"You know him, Agil-san?" I asked.

"He's from the 1st Floor frontlines as well…" Agil nodded his head. "He was a jerk back then too, still is. Seems like he's found himself a guild to attach himself to."

"Listen here, porcupine!" Victoria yelled. I turned towards her for a brief second and found her grinning widely, a confident look engraved on her face. "Just 'cause you think you're big and tough, doesn't really mean you are!"

Her bronze armor shined underneath the afternoon's sun – the radiance bounced off her silver trimmings.

"Ha! Porcupine!" Agil cheered. "I like that one!"

"You tell him!"

"Brat! I'll make sure you pay for your disrespect towards me!" Kibaou gritted his teeth.

"We'll settle it out in the raid!" Victoria shouted. "I'll get that last-attack loot drop and rub it all in your face, you porcupine!"

"Ha!" Kibaou deviously smiled. "I'd like to see that. Try not to get yourself killed while trying to prove your worth!"

Crove cleared his throat, causing all the ruckus to cease. We all turned our attention towards him.

His smile vanished from his face, he narrowed his green eyes and scowled. "Now it's time to get down to business. You all know why we're here today – to beat the 12th Floor's Boss, **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**!"

Cheers arose from the crowd of dozens around us.

"Yeah! Let's kill this bastard!"

"We can beat this game, everyone!"

"I'm all about clearing the game, but that loot drop doesn't sound too bad either," Agil faintly chuckled. "I'll be competing you for that, kid."

"This one's a tricky boss," Crove spoke up. "With the help of a few scouts, we've gathered some data already. **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** summons four minions, all of them being **«** **Honor Devil Guards** **»**. We're going to divide into two groups as a usual raid would have it – Group A, the Attackers, they're going to be the main damage dealers to **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** ; while Group B, the Rearguard, will hold off the minions. Kobatz, anything to add?"

Crove turned towards the third **«** **Aincrad Liberation Squad** **»** member and the latter nodded. The player now known as Kobatz took a step forward.

"We won't be facing **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** right off the bat," his deep voice said. "There will be three of his minions when we first arrive, and we should pick them off all at once. Once that's done, **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** will spawn in – and that's when we divide into those two groups."

" **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** will be armed with a one-handed sword, and will _not_ be switching weapons as usual bosses do," Crove spoke up. "Although there isn't much information on this boss…but rumors have said that **«Vix the Devil Guard»** will have a two-handed sword known as **«Dragon's Breath»** , which can be a one-hit kill when struck by it directly…"

"One-hit kill…" I gulped. "Isn't that a bit over-powered?"

"Definitely over-powered…" Victoria muttered. "If I see that thing I'm just going to freeze…sounds scary enough already…"

"Didn't you say you were going to get the last-attack loot drop though?"

"True, true…"

"The higher level players for Group A have already been specifically chosen, so those of you who haven't been notified about being in Group A, you're going to be in Group B – the Rearguard," Kobatz said with a nod.

"I'll never have a chance at that drop now…" Victoria sighed.

"While Group A will be doing most of the damage to the boss, we will rotate towards the end as most of those from Group A will be tired from fatigue. Group B will be the ones who take on **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** at around 45% of his HP remaining," he continued. "If Group B shows that they can't handle the boss's attacks, we will rotate once more."

"I'm going to get the drop!" Victoria grinned.

"Do we even know if there is a drop?" I scratched the back of my head.

"There is a reward for beating the boss besides moving up to the 12th Floor!" Crove exclaimed. "I know there are quite a few of you out there who are interested in that…" he eyed Victoria. "5 players who deal the final damage attacks to the boss will be dropped it…with rumors of a special drop to one of those 5."

"You see?" Victoria's malicious smile formed across her face.

"You're all dismissed from this meeting! Tomorrow, we will gather here at the same time before we head out to face **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** , so get a good night's rest, get some suitable gear, and take care! We will see you all tomorrow!" Crove said with a wave, and the crowd of players began to disperse.

Agil walked with Victoria and I as we strolled down the streets of the town.

"You see, it's people like Kibaou who want you to swing first. I suggest watching yourselves during the boss fight tomorrow," he said.

"You're funny, Agil-san! Just wait until tomorrow, I swear I'm going to take down the boss!" Victoria exclaimed with a large smile on her face.

"You remind me a lot about my niece," Agil chuckled. "Well, you two be safe. Make sure you get some appropriate gear for the raid. I'll be seeing you tomorrow."

We bid Agil farewell and the two of us explored the rest of the town, visiting the blacksmith and finding new and powerful gear to buy…after we could afford them. I looked through my inventory, only finding 6790 Cor available to spend, but I decided to save these funds for better items and for necessities.

"We should definitely come back here after the battle and buy some of this stuff…" Victoria said, inspecting a one-handed mace that had sharper spikes than her usual.

"Wouldn't the 13th Floor offer a better selection than here though by that time?" I said.

"Damn, you're right…" Victoria sighed.

After leaving the blacksmith, we encountered a familiar player walking past us. Her golden-blonde hair, silver and orange armor, and the noticeably large, two-handed silver lance on her back seemed all too recognizable.

"Hey!" Victoria called after the girl, who stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around, her golden-blonde hair flowing in the wind.

"Yes?"

"You're the girl from earlier," Victoria pointed at her. "The one who was running to the meeting."

"Me?" she pointed to herself, before taking a moment to think. Her face sank and her eyes widened. "Oh! You're the two I ran by! Hehe, sorry you had to see me like that! Trust me, I'm not usually like that – I was just scared of being late to the meeting. Aren't you the one that had the outburst towards the **«** **Aincrad Liberation Squad** **»**?"

"You bet it! The name's Victoria, and this right here is Karis," Victoria exclaimed. "Those bastards think they can take over just like that and boss us around?"

"I totally agree with you!" she nodded. "And it's a pleasure to meet you two. I'm Mai."

"Listen…about the raid…" Victoria began. "You wouldn't happen to be in a party yet, would you?"

"Getting straight to the point, huh…" I sighed.

"I am not!" Mai brightly said. "I was hoping for somebody to come along the line so we could form our own party, but that hasn't happened yet," Mai gasped. "Would you two be interested in forming one?"

"Of course!" Victoria chuckled. "That's what I called you for in the first place!"

"We'd love to form a party with you, Mai-chan," I smiled.

"Sounds lovely, Karis-chan!" Mai smiled back before opening up her menu.

In an instant, a message appeared on my screen.

 **Friend Request from user: Mai. Accept or Decline?**

I smiled and pressed the green checkmark, and another window opened on top of that.

 **You are now friends with user: Mai!**

The two windows closed and I turned to face Victoria and Mai. I opened up my menu and opened up my friends list, finding only three names in alphabetical order – Klein, Mai, and Victoria.

"Klein-san…I haven't seen you in a long time…" I muttered to myself.

I shook my head and pressed on Mai's name, another box opened up, with information about Mai's character and three options on the bottom of the menu.

 **Message | Invite to Party | Delete Friend**

I pressed the middle button and everything automatically closed. Mai's sapphire-blue eyes lit up with joy and before I knew it, a notification popped up on the screen.

 **Mai has joined the party!**

"Welcome!" Victoria grinned. "You're officially a member of our party! Now all we need is a fourth person and we'll be able to participate in the boss battle. Let's go everyone!"

"Whatever you say, guild leader," I chuckled.

"Guild leader?" Mai asked. "You two are in a guild?"

"Well, not yet at least," Victoria answered her. "We plan to start one after this boss battle just so we can get more members when we officially launch, but that's just what we're going for. Oh hey, Mai, would you want to be our third member?"

Mai half-smiled and slowly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Victoria-chan, Karis-chan, but I'm already in a guild," she said. "As much as I would like to join your guild, I just can't leave this one. Not yet at least, there's no telling what the future holds."

"I see…" Victoria nodded her head slowly. "That's okay, Mai. There's always going to be a spot open for you just in case! So, what guild are you in?"

"I'm in the **«** **Crystal Lancers** **»** ," Mai said. "We're a small group of lancer-only players – but I'm the only one participating in this boss battle, hence why I'm alone. Everyone else is either farming on the lower levels to get stronger, or they're just too afraid to come to the frontlines."

"Huh, so you're in a guild with a bunch of scaredy-cats…" Victoria said.

"Victoria…" I narrowed my eyes.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Anyways, you were saying, Mai?"

"We just don't feel like we're that powerful enough to join the frontlines yet, our guild leader even told us that we shouldn't be confident in just our abilities, but confident with our spirit," Mai continued. "I feel confident either way, so here I am – on the frontlines and ready to prove to my guild that we can make it here."

"Well, if we are successful with the upcoming fight, then everything should work out the way you want it to," I smiled. "Guild or no guild, we're still going to fight this boss together."

"You're right, Karis-chan," Mai returned the smile.

"Now that everything's settled!" I felt Victoria's hand land on my shoulder. "How about we go find this fourth party member? Remember, we won't be able to even participate without a fourth member."

I turned towards my friend and nodded my head.

"Yeah! Let's go!"

Walking around the town of Teravista wasn't as much as a challenge as we thought, though Victoria really needed to raise her Stamina level a bit, because we needed to stop every 10 minutes just so she could rest.

What seemingly became hours on end and after numerous rejections from players who were already in parties or weren't even interested in the boss fight, but only to farm on the 12th Floor, we were just about ready to give up.

Until we found a lone player leaning against the wall of Teravista's tavern.

Clad in black and red armor with a large two-handed, one-sided axe on her back, she proved to be intimidating in appearance. At first glance it would seem that she had the dark appearance of an orange player, but the green cursor on top of her full health bar told otherwise.

"Should we…should we go up to her?" Victoria asked.

"I don't know…" I shook my head. "She looks too scary to talk to…"

"I'll do the talking, don't worry!" Mai giggled.

"If you say so…" Victoria shrugged.

We walked up to the girl and as we neared, she looked up to meet us – her crimson-red eyes narrowed with disgust.

"Hello! I'm Mai!" Mai exclaimed. "May we ask you for your name?"

"Sh-she's so blunt…" I whispered to myself.

"The name's Scythe," the girl scowled. "You three need something or what?"

"Yes! Karis-chan and Victoria-chan here were wondering if you wanted to join our party for the raid on the 12th Floor's boss! We just need one more person!" Mai brightly smiled.

"Don't include our names!" Victoria sharply whispered.

"I want to keep this short and simple," the girl now known as Scythe said. "So, you three want me to join your party as the fourth person for the raid on the 12th Floor's boss? What makes you think I'll join you?"

"Well, there's the loot reward and we'll be one Floor closer to clearing the game?" Victoria offered. "Oh, and maybe you'll be able to get the last-attack loot drop! Although I've had my eyes on it for a while now…"

"Hmm…" Scythe's eyes showed signs of interest, before a small smile formed on her face. "I'm in."

After adding Scythe to our friends list, and having her join our party, the four of us gathered at a nearby pub in the town. We each sat down at a table and began our conversation.

"So, how did you end up here, Scythe-chan?" I asked.

"I joined this game alone," Scythe replied. "You two should be fortunate that you have each other, and Mai should be grateful she has her own guild to be with. I'm what makes up – or made up – most of the Clearers, a solo player."

"Ha! You might know our friend, then!" Victoria said. "Ever hear of Kirito?"

"Kirito? The Black Swordsman?" Scythe raised a brow. "Of course I have! He's annoyed me most of the times we've encountered each other – and of course I knocked him on his ass for annoying me."

"Kirito-kun didn't seem to be the type," I said.

"He's a Beater, Karis-chan…" Mai spoke up. "Everyone knows about him, he's a cheater and a beta tester…"

"We never really heard about that," Victoria spoke softly. "This is the first level we've been to that hasn't been cleared yet, we've been…down on the lower levels."

"And you two decided on coming straight to the frontlines?" Scythe raised a brow.

"We farmed as much as we can, until we thought we were strong enough," I said. "And this is what we've achieved since then. We hope to gain more experience to become Clearers…and hopefully, like the **«** **Aincrad Liberation Squad** **»** …"

"Right," Scythe said as she turned her back towards us. "I'm going to do some farming before tomorrow's raid… _solo_ farming."

"Leaving already, huh?" Victoria scoffed, to which Scythe ignored with the wave of her finger.

"By the way, Victoria," Scythe said. "I'm the one that's going to be getting that last-attack loot drop. Don't you dare try, you got me? Or else, I'll knock you on your ass."

With that, we watched Scythe as she walked away from us, equipping the axe on her back.

"What a lovely personality," Mai said.

I exchanged looks with Victoria and I let out a giggle, seeing a small frown form on Victoria's face.

* * *

 **Tokyo, Japan.**

 **October 29th, 2022.**

I sat with Yōko Kagome at our usual place during lunch – the bench right behind the school building, where nobody really goes to. It was the perfect, secluded place for just the two of us.

A bright, sunny day in Tokyo's metropolitan area, and just a boring day as ever at Sōryu High School. With the large campus and student populace,

"MMO Today said that Sword Art Online's going to be 'groundbreaking'," she said as she munched on the onigiri in her hands. "Just a few more days, Saori…just a few more days! I'm excited!"

"It definitely is a giant leap for VRMMO's," I said with a smile as I looked down at what food was in my bento box – tamagoyaki with a side of strawberries cut in half. I picked up my chopsticks and picked a piece of tamagoyaki up. "Don't lag behind with schoolwork though…"

"Yeah, yeah…I know…" Yōko sighed. "And I know you won't let me so…"

"School's important," I spoke up. "As much as I enjoy playing them myself, we can't let these video games become a part of our daily lives…it'll distract us far too much…"

"Right, right…"

"And for your own concern, the answer's yes," I smiled.

"Huh?" Yōko looked up at me.

"Yes as in 'yes, I will wait in line with you so we can get ourselves a copy of Sword Art Online'," I smiled once more.

"Oh, really!?" Yōko's eyes lit up. "You would!?"

"Of course I would, dummy," I giggled. "Just as long as you're willing to help me with the game. I'm still not too into VRMMO's just as much as you are, yet. Have you thought of a nickname yet?"

"Something cool like Charlotte or Victoria," she smirked. "You?"

"Karis," I said with a smile.

"Tch…it's her…" Yōko whispered, her light-brown eyes narrowing with anger. I looked up at her and saw her attention glued someplace, her face curving into a deep frown.

I turned towards where she was looking and found Himeko Kawaguchi – a girl in our class, and the one who enjoys bullying us. She was walking with her two henchwomen, headed our way down the stone path.

"Ju-just ignore them, Yōko-chan…" I said as I looked away, nibbling on a piece of strawberry.

"Like hell I will…" Yōko said with a deep tone. "They're the ones who better ignore us…"

I let out a small sigh and looked down, hearing the footsteps come closer and closer.

"Well, well, well…" a familiar voice squeaked. "If it isn't the two nerds who are obsessed with video games!"

And with that a trio of laughter emerged in my ear. I turned towards the voices and saw Himeko Kawaguchi's luscious blonde hair and sparkling brown eyes. She had a devious smile on her face as she leaned in towards us.

"Himeko…" Yōko growled. "Just leave us alone…"

"Oh, now, now…uh, what was your name again? Yumiko? Yukino?" Himeko turned towards her companions.

"Wasn't it Yolk?" one of them said.

"Egg Yolk?" the other nodded their head. "Ah! Yōko! That's her name!"

"Right, right!" Himeko exclaimed as she looked back at us. "Now, Yōko-san…you know I can't do that. I'm the most popular girl in this school, and barely anyone here can remember your name. It's as if my job is to bully the outcasts – I have an image to uphold, you know?"

I looked at Yōko, my eyes beginning to well up with tears. Yōko clenched her hands into fists and her light-brown eyes lit up with anger. Her short, light-brown hair flowed in the wind as she looked at Himeko, their eyes meeting.

"Yōko-chan…" I muttered under my breath.

"You bitch…" Yōko said.

Himeko let out a gasp and the smile disappeared from her face, along with her companions.

"What did you just call her?" one of them gritted their teeth in anger.

"Are you looking for some trouble, you damn nerd?" the other one spat.

"Hold on…" Himeko held up a finger to her companions as she faced us. She leaned in closer towards Yōko, their faces only a few inches apart.

"Wh-what are you…" a bead of sweat rolled down Yōko's face.

Himeko looked into Yōko's eyes for a few more seconds.

"I knew it."

She grinned once more and backed away.

"What?" Yōko asked.

"You're weak, Yōko-san," Himeko grinned. "You're not going to do anything to me. I commend you for effort, though I don't see you doing much rather other than just bickering insult after insult. Why don't you try doing something with yourself? Oh, and when you do, come and find me."

The three of them walked away, leaving the two of us. I looked down at my bento box on the floor, feeling a tear roll down my cheek. Turning back up to face Yōko, I saw her visibly shaking, clenching her hands into fists.

"Yōko-chan…" I sniffled.

* * *

 **Devil's Dungeon, 12** **th** **Floor.**

 **January 5** **th** **, 2023.**

"Karis, switch!" Victoria shouted as she looked back at me, nodding her head.

The HP bar of the **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** dropped slightly. It stood there dazed, having been affected by Victoria's mace skill, which stunned minions for 5 seconds, allowing other players to freely attack it.

 **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»** , the rare one-handed sword I received from a quest. The craft of the weapon was divine, having a curved steel blade of a katana, but the handle was silver with a purple gemstone in it – the guard curved downwards for a tight lock onto your hand.

I activated my sword skill, **«** **Null Blade** **»** , which was useful against monsters. The skill would take down a significant amount of HP from an enemy with one hit that traced a zero on the enemy.

"HAH!" I shouted, stabbing the **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** with my weapon, tracing a zero on its torso, seeing its armor crack by my blade. The monster was knocked back, and I watched as its HP dropped almost to 60%.

"Mai-chan, Scythe-chan, your turn!" I panted, hopping back and letting the other two members of our party attack.

"I'm not even tired! I can take this bastard all the way down if I have to!" Victoria exclaimed.

"We'll take it from here," Mai said with a smile.

"Try not to get knocked on your ass anytime soon," Scythe scoffed.

"Nice, Karis!" Victoria shouted to me. "Looks like all that training was worth it, huh?"

"We're actually putting up a fighting chance here…" I exhaled. "Especially with our sword skills."

I blinked and thought back to Kirito's simple, yet noteworthy words about sword skills on the first day – which seemed to feel like was an eternity ago.

" _Equip your weapon, and use your sword skill. It takes a few to activate, and once your skill activates – just let it go and you'll easily defeat it."_

After fighting through basic **«** **Devil Troops** **»** in the labyrinth, we finally reached the Boss' Room. The dark, hollow cave lit up upon our entrance, revealing a large room with many rock formations. Standing in the middle of the room were three **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** monsters, which we believed that we had to defeat before facing off against **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** himself. The four of us were tasked with defeating one of them as the Rear Guard.

Taking on the appearance of knights donning silver armor with golden trimmings, wielding two-handed longswords, they proved to be difficult, powerful enemies that required teamwork and communication to defeat.

"Here you go!" Mai shouted. "Scythe-chan, it's up to you!"

Mai activated her skill, her one-handed lance turning orange, and stabbed the **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** , stunning it again right after it came back from being stunned from Victoria's first attack.

"Right!" Scythe shouted back.

Scythe jumped in front of the dazed monster, the tip of her spear lighting up red as she activated her own skill. She stabbed it three times with her weapon, dealing great damage to the enemy before her.

"Would you mind doing the honors, Karis?" Victoria's voiced asked me.

I turned to face her and nodded. "I thought you'd never ask."

Gripping onto the handle of **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»** , I charged at the weakened **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»**.

"YAAH!" I shouted, swinging my weapon at the monster. I felt my blade pierce its armor, once more. The monster looked down at me and I watched as its HP dropped to 0.

The **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** exploded into a million fragments before me.

 **Enemy Defeated. 1200 EXP and 800 Cor acquired.**

"Everyone!" Crove's voice caught our attention. "You're all doing well so far! But I don't think we're even starting yet! Keep your guard up and do your best!"

I turned to face Crove as he and his party, consisting of Agil, defeated the second **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»**.

"Y'all are doing great over there!" Agil waved to us.

"Finally! Somebody who give us recognition for how awesome we are!" Victoria chuckled.

Kobatz's party took down the third minion and cheers arose from all the players, echoing out into the dungeon.

The cheers were cut short as footsteps began to shake the ground.

"Here he comes!" Crove shouted. "Get into your positions!"

The footsteps grew closer and closer and everyone ran amok to their respective assigned areas, with Victoria, Scythe, Mai, and I running to the back of the party, while most of the players bulked up to the front.

Out from the shadows a large figure appeared, clad in golden knight armor with flames erupting out of the helmet. Soon, three HP bars appeared over its head, and the name **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** appeared on my screen.

Various shouts from players scattered about.

"There he is!"

"So that's the bastard we're killing this time…"

"He's huge…" Mai said.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," Scythe scoffed.

 **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** lifted up its sword and let out a ferocious roar that sent chills through my veins. Three **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** minions appeared out of thin air, and jumped in front of **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**.

"You ready?" Victoria asked me.

I turned towards her and nodded.

The three **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** minions began charging towards all of us. Crove looked back to face and held up his sword high in the air.

"Group B, charge!"

Battle cries sounded and Victoria ran past Crove and the rest of the players in Group A, with the three of us swiftly following after her. Before I knew it, a couple dozen players were by our side as we charged at the monsters.

"We're going to take the one on the right!" I shouted.

"There you go, leader!" Victoria laughed. "We'll follow you until the end of this fight!"

I smiled and as we neared our targeted minion, I raised my hand high in the air.

"Surround it!" I yelled.

Victoria, Scythe, Mai, and I formed a circle around the **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»**.

"Same plan as before!" Victoria shouted. "Stun it and then we'll do some damage!"

"Stunning it!" Mai shouted as she attacked the **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** with her lance.

"Scythe-chan, Victoria-chan, let's do some work!" I ordered.

With swift teamwork and coordination, we held off the attacks from the three minions with other players from Group B. Group A advanced on **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** and began to engage him in combat.

As we destroyed the **«** **Honor Devil Guard** **»** , a few screams caught our attention.

"We've lost three players so far! My HP is low! Help me! He–!" a female voice was cut off as I turned my attention to see a player get decimated by the attacks of **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**.

"Gah! We can't handle him any longer! He's too strong!" a player from Group A screamed before he was slashed by the boss, sending him flying into the air and exploding into crystal fragments, his life ending before our very eyes.

"Group B, take over for Group A!" Crove shouted. "Switch now!"

Players from Group A retreated as players from Group B began to attack **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** , sufficiently bringing down its HP even lower than before.

"Sending us to the front? Hell yeah!" Victoria exclaimed.

"Try not to get knocked on your ass," Scythe scoffed. "It won't be worth it."

"This is our chance to prove ourselves we can handle more than just simple mobs!" Mai cheered.

I looked at **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** , finding that his HP was nearing 30% left.

All four of us charged at the boss, dealing our damages to it. Mai, albeit to no real effect other than a large damaging hit, stunned the boss. Scythe and Victoria beat the boss with everything they had in themselves. I continued to hack and slash at the boss, using every ounce of energy I had within me.

In the end, we ended up tiring ourselves out, backing from **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**.

"I'll weaken it for you two!" a voice called out from behind us.

A player zoomed by, his black coat and black sword shining in the light revealing who he was to us. He turned his head and gave us a small smile.

"Kirito!?" Victoria gasped.

Kirito jumped up, bringing his sword down onto the boss, slicing its torso in half.

"Victoria, Karis – the boss is all yours now!" he smirked.

I exchanged looks with Victoria and we both nodded to each other.

"Victoria, we can do this!" I smiled.

"Right! Karis, sync!" Victoria shouted to me.

I nodded and ran by her side, headed straight for **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**. **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»** lit up with a purple aura that indicated the activation of my sword skill. Reaching **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** , I shifted all my weight into my arms and brought my weapon down.

"AGH!" I grunted, stabbing the boss in its torso, carving a zero on its battle-damaged golden armor.

"TAKE THIS!" Victoria screamed, jumping up to meet « **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** face-to-face. She brought her weapon down upon the monster and with a quick hit, **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** took the last hit before its HP bar dropped to zero.

 **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** let out a roar and dropped its weapon, falling to the ground and landing with a thud – sending a small quake to us.

"Yes! I got the final hit!" Victoria exclaimed. "I get the rare drop! Yes!"

"We did it!" I cheered, running over to Mai and Scythe, leaving Victoria behind as she stared at the body of the dead boss.

"The first floor I've ever cleared…" Mai let out a sigh of relief. "Maybe the rest of the **«** **Crystal Lancers** **»** will finally see we can make it up here."

"Nice work," Scythe half-grinned as she let out an exhale and put her axe on her back. "Not too bad for your first boss kill."

"Good job, everyone!" Crove shouted. "We did it!"

"Great teamwork!" Agil waved to us. "Y'all did it! The black swordsman himself would be proud!"

"Ha! You already know it!" Kirito smiled as he stood next to Agil.

"Wa-wait…" Mai looked away, concerned. "Wasn't there supposed to be a notification and a reward we got for killing the boss…or am I just overthinking?"

Kirito's eyes widened and he began running towards us. "Victoria! Get out of there, NOW!"

A flash of light appeared behind Victoria, and before I knew it, **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** arose from where it once laid, letting out a chilling roar. I shuddered at its taunt, my eyes widening at the sight.

"It revived!" Mai gasped.

"But with only 5% of its HP…" Scythe muttered under her breath. "It's a final attack meant to take out any players that are near death…but…something doesn't feel right…"

 **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** summoned a giant, two-handed sword with a large blade and a sharpened hilt that resembled a Claymore. Victoria stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, only to meet the boss face-to-face, the grip on her **«Silver** **-Branded Mace** **»** loosened as it fell to the ground with a clash.

"That's the **«** **Dragon's Breath** **»**!" Scythe's voice loudened as she took a step forward. "It can kill you with just one hit! You've got to get out of there, Victoria!" she exclaimed.

"Victoria-chan, run!" Mai shouted.

"N-no…" I shook my head, feeling the pace of my heartbeat rise, drawing **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»** and beginning to run towards her. "Yōk-Yōko-ch-chan…"

I thought back to Himeko's words.

" _You're weak, Yōko-san."_

Standing there frozen from shock, Victoria looked at **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** as he swung his weapon at Victoria, slicing her torso with immense power.

"VICTORIA!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I watched her fly through the air, only to land meters away from me.

"Karis-chan!" Mai's voice called out to me as she jumped in front of me, her face filled with worry. "Scythe-chan and I will hold them off! Check on Victoria-chan!"

"Damn it, she's right! We'll take care of them!" Scythe growled as she too jumped in front of me.

I nodded my head and sheathed **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»**. I watched as Mai and Scythe charged at **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** and his minions with the rest of the Clearers, their weapons lighting up with their Sword Skills as they attacked.

I ran over to where Victoria lay, instantly dropping to my knees with a thud. I turned her over and ran my hand through her light-brown hair. She opened her eyes, her face full of pain, and pulled me closer by my hand.

"Sa-Saori…I'm sorry…" she said in a soft whisper. "I-I lied…"

"Wh-what do you mean? Yōko…" I asked her, my eyes welling up with tears.

"I-I don't th-think I'll be able to make th-that…guild with you…"

"Don't…don't say that!" I felt tears roll down my eyes. "I can…I can save you!"

"Saori…"

I frantically swiped down to open up my inventory, noticing that my hands were shaking tremendously. I felt the beat of my heart rise even more as I desperately looked through my items for a **«** **Healing Potion** **»**.

"N-no…no, no, no…" I whispered to myself. "No, no…co-come o-on…pl-please, wh-where are you?"

Before I could swipe further down my inventory, I felt a gloved hand grab my wrist, taking my attention away. I found Victoria looking at me, slowly shaking her head, her light-brown eyes weary and tired – about to close as if she were falling asleep.

"He-hey…ma-make me a pro-promise…will ya?"

"Wh-what…what is it?"

"Beat this…beat this game…" she strained. "D-do it…for me…"

Before I knew it, Victoria shattered into a million crystal fragments before me. I watched as the fragments seemingly slowly vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind.

"N-no…no, no, no…no!" I screamed.

I turned around and saw players surrounding **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»**. I stood up from where I kneeled and began walking towards the boss, balling my hands in anger.

"You…you killed her…" I said to myself. "You killed her!"

I summoned **«** **Amethyst's Mark** **»** and the weapon appeared in my hand. I tightened my grip onto the swords handle before charging at the boss. I activated **«** **Null Blade** **»** and charged with immense fury towards Victoria's murderer.

"YOU BASTARD!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I brought **«Amethyst's Mark»** down onto the boss, seeing my slash go straight down his body and carving a zero.

 **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** exploded into millions of crystal fragments before my eyes.

I let out a heavy sigh and fell to my knees, overwhelmed with emotion – hearing the sound of my sword rattling on the floor of the dungeon.

"Vic-Vic…Vic…"

A message popped up in the middle of my screen.

 **Congratulations!** **«** **Vix the Devil Guard** **»** **has been defeated! You may now pass on to the 12** **th** **Floor of Aincrad! Here are your rewards!**

 **Enemy Defeated. 5468 EXP and 2400 Cor acquired.**

 **«** **Mythical Crystallite** **»** **found!**

 **Level up to 24!**

The 23 in the hexagon at the top left corner of my HUD was now replaced by a 24, indicating my level up. Looking back down at my empty hands, I felt more tears roll down my face before I looked up at the rocky ceiling, opening my mouth to let out a cry.

"VICTORIA!"

* * *

 **Sword Art Online: Dream League**

* * *

 **[A/N]**

Hello! I hoped you all enjoyed Chapter 2 of _Sword Art Online: Dream League_! Thank you all again for the feedback I received last chapter, and I sincerely hope that I fixed and added in those flaws you mentioned.

 _Catch any errors? Be sure to leave a review letting me know! PM's work as well. Thank you!_


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